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Florida Miller & Levine Experience Biology: Biology, End-of-Course Assessment Workbook
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Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online Cookbook: A complete guide to Microsoft Office 365 apps including SharePoint, Power Platform, Copilot and more
by Scott Brewster Nate Chamberlain Gaurav Mahajan Sudeep GhatakUnlock over 100 recipes for mastering Microsoft 365. Boost productivity with Copilot, collaborate with SharePoint and Teams, automate tasks, create apps and reports using Power Automate (with RPA), Power Apps, Power BI, and more. Print or Kindle book purchase includes a free PDF eBook.Key FeaturesEnhance collaboration and productivity using SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, Viva, Planner, and Microsoft FormsAutomate processes, build apps, bots, and dashboards with Power Automate (with RPA), Power Apps, Copilot Studio, and Power BIHarness Copilot, the new AI virtual assistant, for seamless support in your everyday tasksBook DescriptionMicrosoft 365 offers tools for content management, communication, process automation, and report creation. Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online Cookbook maximizes workplace collaboration and productivity using SharePoint Online, Teams, OneDrive, Delve, M365 Search, Copilot, Power Platform, Viva, Planner, and Microsoft Forms. You will find thoroughly updated recipes for SharePoint Online, covering sites, lists, libraries, pages, web parts, and learn SharePoint Framework (SPFx) basics for building solutions. You will explore many Microsoft Teams recipes to prepare it to be your organization’s central collaboration hub. You will be able to unlock Power Platform potential with recipes for Power Apps to enable low-code/no-code app development and learn to automate tasks with Power Automate and Power Automate Desktop. The book teaches you data visualization with Power BI, and chatbot creation with Power Virtual Agents (Copilot Studio). Finally, you will also learn about the cutting-edge Copilot and Gen AI functionality in Microsoft 365 and Power Platform. By the end, you will be equipped with skills to effectively use Microsoft 365, SharePoint Online, and the Power Platform. Whether it's enhancing career prospects or improving business operations, this book is a perfect companion on your journey through the Microsoft Office 365 suite.What you will learnCollaborate effectively with SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, Delve, Search, and VivaBoost creativity and productivity with Microsoft CopilotDevelop and deploy custom applications using Power AppsCreate custom bots using Power Virtual Agents (Copilot Studio)Integrate with other apps, automate workflows and repetitive processes with Power Automate/Desktop (RPA)Design reports and engaging dashboards with Power BIUtilize Planner, To Do, and gather feedback with polls and surveys in Microsoft FormsExperience seamless integration in the mobile platformWho this book is forThis cookbook caters to professionals stepping into the world of Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online. It is tailored for a broad spectrum of skillsets including general business professionals, IT administrators, and enterprise architects who are newcomers to Microsoft 365, offering valuable insights for establishing a contemporary, digital workplace effectively.
Pandas Cookbook: Practical recipes for scientific computing, time series, and exploratory data analysis using Python
by Matthew Harrison William AydFrom fundamental techniques to advanced strategies for handling big data, visualization, and more, this book equips you with skills to excel in real-world data analysis projects. Bonus: Free PDF copy + join our Discord + code filesKey FeaturesThis book targets features in pandas 2.x and beyondPractical, easy to implement recipes for quick solutions to common problems in data using pandasMaster the fundamentals of pandas to quickly begin exploring any datasetBook DescriptionUnlock the full power of pandas 2.x with this hands-on cookbook, designed for Python developers, data analysts, and data scientists who need fast, efficient solutions for real-world data challenges. This book provides practical, ready-to-use recipes to streamline your workflow. With step-by-step guidance, you'll master data wrangling, visualization, performance optimization, and scalable data analysis using pandas’ most powerful features. From importing and merging large datasets to advanced time series analysis and SQL-like operations, this cookbook equips you with the tools to analyze, manipulate, and visualize data like a pro. Learn how to boost efficiency, optimize memory usage, and seamlessly integrate pandas with NumPy, PyArrow, and databases. This book will help you transform raw data into actionable insights with ease. What you will learnThe pandas type system and how to best navigate itImport/export DataFrames to/from common data formatsData exploration in pandas through dozens of practice problemsGrouping, aggregation, transformation, reshaping, and filtering dataMerge data from different sources through pandas SQL-like operationsLeverage the robust pandas time series functionality in advanced analysesScale pandas operations to get the most out of your systemThe large ecosystem that pandas can coordinate with and supplementWho this book is forThis book is for Python developers, data scientists, engineers, and analysts. pandas is the ideal tool for manipulating structured data with Python and this book provides ample instruction and examples. Not only does it cover the basics required to be proficient, but it goes into the details of idiomatic pandas
AI Product Manager's Handbook: The ultimate playbook to unlock AI product success with real-world insights and strategies
by Irene BratsisBlending strategic frameworks, real-world case studies, and cutting-edge AI insights, this guide equips product managers with the tools to navigate challenges, drive innovation, and build scalable, high-impact AI products.Key FeaturesGain insights into AI product discovery, market fit, and execution through structured frameworks.Learn to translate complex AI capabilities into real-world solutions that drive value.Understand ethical AI, bias mitigation, and compliance to build responsible AI products.Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook.Book DescriptionAI is rapidly transforming product management, presenting new challenges and business opportunities. As AI-driven solutions become more complex, product managers must bridge the gap between technological capabilities and business needs. This book provides a detailed roadmap for successfully building and maintaining AI-driven products, serving as an indispensable companion on your journey to becoming an effective AI product manager. In this second edition, you'll find fresh insights into generative AI, and responsible AI practices with the most relevant tools for building AI-powered products. Authored by a leading AI product expert with years of hands-on experience in developing and managing AI solutions, this guide translates complex AI concepts into actionable strategies. Whether you're an aspiring AI PM or an experienced professional, this book offers a structured approach to defining AI product vision, leveraging data effectively, and aligning AI with business objectives. With new case studies and refined frameworks, this edition provides deeper insights into ethical AI, cross-functional collaboration, and deployment challenges. By the end of this book, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to drive AI product success with key techniques for identifying AI opportunities and managing risks in a rapidly evolving landscape.What you will learnPlan your AI PM roadmap and navigate your career with clarity and confidenceGain a foundational understanding of AI/ML capabilitiesAlign your product strategy, nurture your team, and navigate the ongoing challenges of cost, tech, compliance, and risk managementIdentify pitfalls and green flags for optimal commercializationSeparate hype from reality and identify quick wins for AI enablement and GenAIUnderstand how to develop and manage both native and evolving AI productsBenchmark product success from a holistic perspectiveWho this book is forThis book is tailored for aspiring and experienced product managers, AI strategists, and business leaders aiming to integrate AI into their products. A foundational understanding of AI is expected and reinforced throughout the book. It is particularly valuable for professionals looking to bridge AI and business strategy, optimize AI/ML applications, and drive data-informed decision-making. Engineers, designers, and executives seeking to align AI capabilities with user needs and market demands will also benefit from the insights and real-world case studies on building scalable AI products.
LLM Engineer's Handbook: Master the art of engineering large language models from concept to production
by Maxime Labonne Paul IusztinStep into the world of LLMs with this practical guide that takes you from the fundamentals to deploying advanced applications using LLMOps best practicesKey FeaturesBuild and refine LLMs step by step, covering data preparation, RAG, and fine-tuningLearn essential skills for deploying and monitoring LLMs, ensuring optimal performance in productionUtilize preference alignment, evaluation, and inference optimization to enhance performance and adaptability of your LLM applicationsBook DescriptionArtificial intelligence has undergone rapid advancements, and Large Language Models (LLMs) are at the forefront of this revolution. This LLM book offers insights into designing, training, and deploying LLMs in real-world scenarios by leveraging MLOps best practices. The guide walks you through building an LLM-powered twin that’s cost-effective, scalable, and modular. It moves beyond isolated Jupyter notebooks, focusing on how to build production-grade end-to-end LLM systems. Throughout this book, you will learn data engineering, supervised fine-tuning, and deployment. The hands-on approach to building the LLM Twin use case will help you implement MLOps components in your own projects. You will also explore cutting-edge advancements in the field, including inference optimization, preference alignment, and real-time data processing, making this a vital resource for those looking to apply LLMs in their projects. By the end of this book, you will be proficient in deploying LLMs that solve practical problems while maintaining low-latency and high-availability inference capabilities. Whether you are new to artificial intelligence or an experienced practitioner, this book delivers guidance and practical techniques that will deepen your understanding of LLMs and sharpen your ability to implement them effectively.What you will learnImplement robust data pipelines and manage LLM training cyclesCreate your own LLM and refine it with the help of hands-on examplesGet started with LLMOps by diving into core MLOps principles such as orchestrators and prompt monitoringPerform supervised fine-tuning and LLM evaluationDeploy end-to-end LLM solutions using AWS and other toolsDesign scalable and modularLLM systemsLearn about RAG applications by building a feature and inference pipelineWho this book is forThis book is for AI engineers, NLP professionals, and LLM engineers looking to deepen their understanding of LLMs. Basic knowledge of LLMs and the Gen AI landscape, Python and AWS is recommended. Whether you are new to AI or looking to enhance your skills, this book provides comprehensive guidance on implementing LLMs in real-world scenarios
Causal Inference and Discovery in Python: Unlock the secrets of modern causal machine learning with DoWhy, EconML, PyTorch and more
by Aleksander Molak Ajit JaokarDemystify causal inference and casual discovery by uncovering causal principles and merging them with powerful machine learning algorithms for observational and experimental dataPurchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBookKey FeaturesExamine Pearlian causal concepts such as structural causal models, interventions, counterfactuals, and moreDiscover modern causal inference techniques for average and heterogenous treatment effect estimationExplore and leverage traditional and modern causal discovery methodsBook DescriptionCausal methods present unique challenges compared to traditional machine learning and statistics. Learning causality can be challenging, but it offers distinct advantages that elude a purely statistical mindset. Causal Inference and Discovery in Python helps you unlock the potential of causality.You'll start with basic motivations behind causal thinking and a comprehensive introduction to Pearlian causal concepts, such as structural causal models, interventions, counterfactuals, and more. Each concept is accompanied by a theoretical explanation and a set of practical exercises with Python code.Next, you'll dive into the world of causal effect estimation, consistently progressing towards modern machine learning methods. Step-by-step, you'll discover Python causal ecosystem and harness the power of cutting-edge algorithms. You'll further explore the mechanics of how “causes leave traces” and compare the main families of causal discovery algorithms.The final chapter gives you a broad outlook into the future of causal AI where we examine challenges and opportunities and provide you with a comprehensive list of resources to learn more.What you will learnMaster the fundamental concepts of causal inferenceDecipher the mysteries of structural causal modelsUnleash the power of the 4-step causal inference process in PythonExplore advanced uplift modeling techniquesUnlock the secrets of modern causal discovery using PythonUse causal inference for social impact and community benefitWho this book is forThis book is for machine learning engineers, data scientists, and machine learning researchers looking to extend their data science toolkit and explore causal machine learning. It will also help developers familiar with causality who have worked in another technology and want to switch to Python, and data scientists with a history of working with traditional causality who want to learn causal machine learning. It's also a must-read for tech-savvy entrepreneurs looking to build a competitive edge for their products and go beyond the limitations of traditional machine learning.
Mastering Embedded Linux Development: Craft fast and reliable embedded solutions with Linux 6.6 and The Yocto Project 5.0 (Scarthgap)
by Chris Simmonds Frank VasquezWritten by Frank Vasquez, an embedded Linux expert, this new edition enables you to harness the full potential of Linux to create versatile and robust embedded solutions All formats include a free PDF and an invitation to the Embedded System Professionals communityKey FeaturesLearn how to develop and configure reliable embedded Linux devicesDiscover the latest enhancements in Linux 6.6 and the Yocto Project 5.0, codename ScarthgapExplore different ways to debug and profile your code in both user space and the Linux kernelPurchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBookBook DescriptionMastering Embedded Linux Development is designed to be both a learning resource and a reference for your embedded Linux projects. In this fourth edition, you'll learn the fundamental elements that underpin all embedded Linux projects: the toolchain, the bootloader, the kernel, and the root filesystem. First, you will download and install a pre-built toolchain. After that, you will cross-compile each of the remaining three elements from scratch and learn to automate the process using Buildroot and the Yocto Project. The book progresses with coverage of over-the-air software updates and rapid prototyping with add-on boards. Two new chapters tackle modern development practices, including Python packaging and deploying containerized applications. These are followed by a chapter on writing multithreaded code and another on techniques to manage memory efficiently. The final chapters demonstrate how to debug your code, whether it resides in user space or in the Linux kernel itself. In addition to GNU debugger (GDB), the book also covers the different tracers and profilers that are available for Linux so that you can quickly pinpoint any performance bottlenecks in your system. By the end of this book, you will be able to create efficient and secure embedded devices with Linux that will delight your users.What you will learnCross-compile embedded Linux images with Buildroot and YoctoEnable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity with a Yocto board support packageUpdate IoT devices securely in the field with Mender or balenaPrototype peripheral additions by connecting add-on boards, reading schematics, and coding test programsDeploy containerized software applications on edge devices with DockerDebug devices remotely using GDB and measure the performance of systems using tools like perf and plyWho this book is forIf you are a systems software engineer or system administrator who wants to learn how to apply Linux to embedded devices, then this book is for you. The book is also for embedded software engineers accustomed to programming low-power microcontrollers and will help them make the leap to a high-speed system-on-chips that can run Linux. Anyone who develops hardware for Linux will find something useful in this book. But before you get started, you will need a solid grasp of the POSIX standard, C programming, and shell scripting.
Lucky
by Marissa StapleySOON TO BE AN APPLE LIMITED SERIES STARRING ANYA TAYLOR-JOY REESE&’S BOOK CLUB PICK NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A thrilling roller-coaster ride about a heist gone terribly wrong, with a plucky protagonist who will win readers&’ hearts.What if you had the winning ticket that would change your life forever, but you couldn&’t cash it in? Lucky Armstrong is a tough, talented grifter who has just pulled off a million-dollar heist with her boyfriend, Cary. She&’s ready to start a brand-new life, with a new identity—when things go sideways. Lucky finds herself alone for the first time, navigating the world without the help of either her father or her boyfriend, the two figures from whom she&’s learned the art of the scam. When she discovers that a lottery ticket she bought on a whim is worth millions, her elation is tempered by one big problem: cashing in the winning ticket means she&’ll be arrested for her crimes. She&’ll go to prison, with no chance to redeem her fortune. As Lucky tries to avoid capture and make a future for herself, she must confront her past by reconciling with her father; finding her mother, who abandoned her when she was just a baby; and coming to terms with the man she thought she loved—whose dark past is catching up with her, too. This is a novel about truth, personal redemption, and the complexity of being good. It introduces a singularly gifted, multilayered character who must learn what it means to be independent and honest...before her luck runs out.
The Kate Morton Collection: The House at Riverton and The Forgotten Garden
by Kate MortonTwo of Kate Morton's fan favorites in one ebook collection!Morton's first two unforgettable novels in one volume: The House at Riverton plus The Forgotten Garden.
The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Sacred Texts
by Israel Finkelstein Neil Asher SilbermanIn this groundbreaking work that sets apart fact and legend, authors Finkelstein and Silberman use significant archeological discoveries to provide historical information about biblical Israel and its neighbors.In this iconoclastic and provocative work, leading scholars Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman draw on recent archaeological research to present a dramatically revised portrait of ancient Israel and its neighbors. They argue that crucial evidence (or a telling lack of evidence) at digs in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon suggests that many of the most famous stories in the Bible—the wanderings of the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, Joshua’s conquest of Canaan, and David and Solomon’s vast empire—reflect the world of the later authors rather than actual historical facts. Challenging the fundamentalist readings of the scriptures and marshaling the latest archaeological evidence to support its new vision of ancient Israel, The Bible Unearthed offers a fascinating and controversial perspective on when and why the Bible was written and why it possesses such great spiritual and emotional power today.
The Telling
by Alexandra SirowyA &“haunting…addictive&” (Publishers Weekly) novel about a teen who must delve into her past if she wants to live long enough to have a future when murders eerily similar to the dark stories her brother used to tell start happening in her hometown—now with updated text and a brand-new look!You swore on summer. Ben was Lana&’s world. He was her big brother, her best friend, her summer. And then he was murdered in a grisly carjacking, and her world ended. Now, six months after Ben&’s death, Lana is trying to reinvent herself. She&’s found her way into the inner circle of popular kids, and the Lana she is now—bold, daring, brash, adventurous—barely resembles the shy, unpopular Lana she used to be. And then a body turns up. At first, everyone thinks it&’s just a horrible accident. But when more corpses are discovered, Lana realizes the details of the murders eerily match the dark fairy tales Ben used to tell her—stories that only she and Ben knew. Is Ben seeking vengeance from the grave? Or has a darker phantom from their past come to haunt Lana&’s present?
The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel
by Kati MartonThe &“captivating&” (The New York Times), definitive biography of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, detailing the extraordinary rise and political brilliance of the most powerful—and elusive—woman in the world.Angela Merkel has always been an outsider. A pastor&’s daughter raised in Soviet-controlled East Germany, she spent her twenties working as a research chemist, entering politics only after the fall of the Berlin Wall. And yet within fifteen years, she had become chancellor of Germany and, before long, the unofficial leader of the West. In this &“masterpiece of discernment and insight&” (The New York Times Book Review), acclaimed biographer Kati Marton sets out to pierce the mystery of Merkel&’s unlikely ascent. With unparalleled access to the chancellor&’s inner circle and a trove of records only recently come to light, she teases out the unique political genius that had been the secret to Merkel&’s success. No modern leader so ably confronted Russian aggression, enacted daring social policies, and calmly unified an entire continent in an era when countries are becoming more divided. Again and again, she cleverly outmaneuvered strongmen like Putin and Trump, and weathered surprisingly complicated relationships with allies like Obama and Macron. Famously private, the woman who emerges from this &“impressively researched&” (The Wall Street Journal) account is a role model for anyone interested in gaining and keeping power while staying true to one&’s moral convictions. At once a &“riveting&” (Los Angeles Review of Books) political biography, an intimate human portrait, and a revelatory look at successful leadership in action, The Chancellor brings forth one of the most extraordinary women of our time.
50 Genetics Ideas You Really Need to Know (50 Ideas You Really Need to Know series)
by Mark HendersonMaster the ideas that have shaped the study of genetics today.In a series of 50 accessible essays, Mark Henderson and Helen Sims introduce and explain the central ideas of genetics, beginning with the theory of evolution to the very latest, cutting-edge developments in gene therapy and artificial life.From the double helix and how nature and nurture work together, to genetic testing and race, 50 Genetics Ideas You Really Need to Know is a complete introduction to this young and ground-breaking strand of science.
Journal of Human Capital, volume 19 number 2 (Summer 2025)
by Journal of Human CapitalThis is volume 19 issue 2 of Journal of Human Capital. The Journal of Human Capital (JHC) is dedicated to human capital and its expanding economic and social roles in the contemporary knowledge economy. It explores the role human capital plays in the production, allocation, and distribution of economic resources and in supporting long-term economic growth and development. JHC is designed to bring together theoretical and empirical work on human capital—broadly defined to include education, skill, health, entrepreneurship, and intellectual and social capital—and related public policy issues.
The Journal of Religion, volume 105 number 3 (July 2025)
by The Journal of ReligionThis is volume 105 issue 3 of The Journal of Religion. The Journal of Religion promotes critical, hermeneutical, historical, and constructive inquiry into religion. The journal publishes articles in theology, religious ethics, and philosophy of religion, as well as articles that approach the role of religion in culture and society from a historical, sociological, psychological, linguistic, or artistic standpoint. It also publishes highly specialized research in limited areas of inquiry that has significance for a wider readership.
Economic Development and Cultural Change, volume 73 number 4 (July 2025)
by Economic Development and Cultural ChangeThis is volume 73 issue 4 of Economic Development and Cultural Change. Economic Development and Cultural Change (EDCC) publishes studies that use modern theoretical and empirical approaches to examine both the determinants and the effects of various dimensions of economic development and cultural change. EDCC’s focus is on empirical papers with analytic underpinnings, concentrating on microlevel evidence, that use appropriate data to test theoretical models and explore policy impacts related to economic development.
Comparative Education Review, volume 69 number 2 (May 2025)
by Comparative Education ReviewThis is volume 69 issue 2 of Comparative Education Review. The Comparative Education Review (CER) is the flagship journal of the Comparative and International Education Society. Its editorial team pursues greater critical engagement, interrogation and innovation in the field of comparative and international education. The journal publishes intellectually rigorous original research in both theoretical and practical applications, seeking representation across sexual, ethnic, cultural and religious diversity. Further, the editors seek to advance the field by bringing greater awareness to discourses on education across the lifespan in historically underrepresented regions, contexts, and topics. CER promotes multidisciplinary research, valuing diverse perspectives and methodologies in order to expand and transgress current ways of knowing and understanding education throughout the world. Through publishing eclectic scholarship, the CER editorial team seeks to engage a wide-ranging community of scholars, practitioners, and policy-makers.
What Workers Say: Decades of Struggle and How to Make Real Opportunity Now
by Roberta IversenWhat have jobs really been like for the past 40 years and what do the workers themselves say about them? In What Workers Say, Roberta Iversen shows that for employees in labor market industries—like manufacturing, construction, printing—as well as those in service-producing jobs, like clerical work, healthcare, food service, retail, and automotive—jobs are often discriminatory, are sometimes dangerous and exploitive, and seldom utilize people’s full range of capabilities. Most importantly, they fail to provide any real opportunity for advancement. What Workers Say takes its cue from Studs Terkel’s Working, as Iversen interviewed more than 1,200 workers to present stories about their labor market jobs since 1980. She puts a human face on the experiences of a broad range of workers indicating what their jobs were and are truly like. Iversen reveals how transformations in the political economy of waged work have shrunk or eliminated opportunity for workers, families, communities, and productivity. What Workers Say also offers an innovative proposal for compensated civil labor that could enable workers, their communities, labor market organizations, and the national infrastructure to actually flourish.
Refugee Lifeworlds: The Afterlife of the Cold War in Cambodia (Asian American History & Cultu)
by Y-Dang TroeungCambodian history is Cold War history, asserts Y-Dang Troeung in Refugee Lifeworlds. Constructing a genealogy of the afterlife of the Cold War in Cambodia, Troeung mines historical archives and family anecdotes to illuminate the refugee experience, and the enduring impact of war, genocide, and displacement in the lives of Cambodian people. Troeung, a child of refugees herself, employs a method of autotheory that melds critical theory, autobiography, and textual analysis to examine the work of contemporary artists, filmmakers, and authors. She references a proverb about the Cambodian kapok tree that speaks to the silences, persecutions, and modes of resistance enacted during the Cambodian Genocide, and highlights various literary texts, artworks, and films that seek to document and preserve Cambodian histories nearly extinguished by the Khmer Rouge regime. Addressing the various artistic responses to prisons and camps, issues of trauma, disability, and aphasia, as well as racism and decolonialism, Refugee Lifeworlds repositions Cambodia within the broader transpacific formation of the Cold War. In doing so, Troeung reframes questions of international complicity and responsibility in ways that implicate us all.
The Many Geographies of Urban Renewal: New Perspectives on the Housing Act of 1949
by Douglas R. ApplerThe consequences of the federal Housing Act of 1949—which supported the clearance and redevelopment of “blighted” areas across the nation—were felt by communities of all sizes, not just large cities. The Many Geographies of Urban Renewal presents a more comprehensive view of the federal urban renewal program by situating the experiences of large cities like Baltimore, MD and Philadelphia PA alongside other geographies, such as the small city of Waterville, ME, suburban St. Louis County in Missouri, the State of New York, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and others. Chapters identify trends and connections that cut across jurisdictional boundaries, investigate who used federal funds, how those funds were used, and examine the profound short and long-term consequences of the program. Taken as a whole, the essays showcase the unexpected diversity of how different communities used the federal urban renewal program. The Many Geographies of Urban Renewal allows us to better understand what was arguably the most significant urban policy of the 20th century, and how that policy shaped the American landscape. Contributors include Francesca Russello Ammon, Brent Cebul, Robert B. Fairbanks, Leif Fredrickson, Colin Gordon, David Hochfelder, Robert K. Nelson, Benjamin D. Lisle, Stacy Kinlock Sewell and the editor.
Cultures Colliding: American Missionaries, Chinese Resistance, and the Rise of Modern Institutions in China
by John R HaddadAs incredible as it may seem, the American missionaries who journeyed to China in 1860 planning solely to spread the Gospel ultimately reinvented their entire enterprise. By 1900, they were modernizing China with schools, colleges, hospitals, museums, and even YMCA chapters. In Cultures Colliding, John R. Haddad nimbly recounts this transformative institution-building—how and why it happened—and its consequences. When missionaries first traveled to rural towns atop mules, they confronted populations with entrenched systems of belief that embraced Confucius and rejected Christ. Conflict ensued as these Chinese viewed missionaries as unwanted disruptors. So how did this failing movement eventually change minds and win hearts? Many missionaries chose to innovate. They built hospitals and established educational institutions offering science and math. A second wave of missionaries opened YMCA chapters, coached sports, and taught college. Crucially, missionaries also started listening to Chinese citizens, who exerted surprising influence over the preaching, teaching, and caregiving, eventually running some organizations themselves. They embraced new American ideals while remaining thoroughly Chinese. In Cultures Colliding, Haddad recounts the unexpected origins and rapid rise of American institutions in China by telling the stories of the Americans who established these institutions and the Chinese who changed them from within. Today, the impact of this untold history continues to resonate in China.
Gendered Places: The Landscape of Local Gender Norms across the United States
by William J. ScarboroughEvery place has its quirky attributes, cultural reputation, and distinctive flair. But when we travel across America, do we also experience distinct gender norms and expectations? In his groundbreaking Gendered Places, William Scarborough examines metropolitan commuting zones to see how each region’s local culture reflects gender roles and gender equity. He uses surveys and social media data to measure multiple dimensions of gender norms, including expectations toward women in leadership, attitudes toward working mothers, as well as the division of household labor. Gendered Places reveals that different locations, even within the same region of the country, such as Milwaukee and Madison Wisconsin, have distinct gender norms and highly influential cultural environments. Scarboroughshows how these local norms shape the attitudes and behaviors of residents with implications on patterns of inequality such as the gender wage gap. His findings offer valuable insight for community leaders and organizers making efforts to promote equality in their region. Scarboroughrecognizes local culture as not value-neutral, but highly crucial to the gender structure that perpetuates, or challenges, gender inequality. Gendered Places questions how these gender norms are sustained and their social consequences.
In Reunion: Transnational Korean Adoptees and the Communication of Family
by Sara Docan-Morgan“Do you know your real parents?” is a question many adoptees are asked. In In Reunion, Sara Docan-Morgan probes the basic notions of family, adoption, and parenthood by exploring initial meetings and ongoing relationships that transnational Korean adoptees have had with their birth parents and other birth family members. Drawing from qualitative interviews with adult Korean adoptees in the United States and Denmark, as well as her own experiences as an adoptee, Docan-Morgan illuminates the complexities of communication surrounding reunion. The paradoxes of adoption and reunion—shared history without blood relations, and blood relations without shared history—generate questions: What does it mean to be “family”? How do people use communication to constitute family relationships? How are family relationships created, maintained, and negotiated over time? In Reunion details adoptive and cultural identities, highlighting how adoptees often end up shouldering communicative responsibility in their family relationships. Interviews reveal how adoptees navigate birth family relationships across language and culture while also attempting to maintain relationships with their adoptive family members. Docan-Morgan details the challenges, rewards, and contradictions of reunion. She also offers practical recommendations for transnational adoptees in reunion, adoptees considering reunion, adoptive families, and adoption practitioners. In tracing the stories of the intercultural dynamics inherent in adoptees’ reunions, Docan-Morgan demonstrates the effort, flexibility, empathy, self-reflection, and time required to navigate long-term relationships with birth families.
Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy #1)
by Callie HartThis #1 New York Times bestseller is a highly addicting enemies-to-lovers Romantasy with razor-sharp banter, heart-stopping action, and blistering hot romance. Do not touch the sword. Do not turn the key. Do not open the gate. Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange powers she possesses, or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen&’s reservoirs for as long as she can remember. In the land of the unforgiving desert, there isn&’t much a girl wouldn&’t do for a glass of water. But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone. When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently reopens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, of legend, of nightmares…but it turns out they&’re real, and Saeris has landed right in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed. The first of her kind to tread the frozen mountains of Yvelia in over a thousand years, Saeris mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior, who has secrets and nefarious agendas of his own. He will use her Alchemist&’s magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him… or her. Death has a name. It is Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate. His past is murky. His attitude stinks. And he&’s the only way Saeris is going to make it home. Be careful of the deals you make, dear child. The devil is in the details... Now with an embossed cover, silver foiling, and an updated interior design. N.B. Quicksilver contains depictions of graphic violence/adult situations and is therefore recommended for readers 17+. For a full list of tropes and TWs, please visit the author's website.
Meaningful Work: How to Ignite Passion and Performance in Every Employee
by Tamara Myles Wes Adams&“A timely, clear, and actionable book&” (Adam Grant) that makes the powerful case that meaning at work drives employee well-being, high performance, and even profit We&’re in the middle of the most significant transformation in work in over a century. Whether it&’s remote work, the rise of burnout and &“quiet quitting,&” or the changing values and priorities of employees, leading an organization has never been more complex. But through all this, a single factor remains the core driver of fulfilled, high-performing teams—their belief that their work has meaning. In Meaningful Work, Wes Adams and Tamara Myles, advisers to some of the world&’s most successful companies, leverage the science of positive psychology to show leaders why and how to make meaning the cornerstone of leadership practice. It is a practical playbook based on decades of research, including their own groundbreaking multi-year study of meaning at work, and stories from leaders you already admire and others that will surprise and inspire you. The book reveals that high engagement, happiness, productivity, and financial performance from employees are all outcomes of helping them find meaning at work. And that every job can be meaningful when leaders create a workplace culture that focuses on the three Cs: Community, Contribution, and Challenge. Whether you lead a team of call center workers, care professionals, cycling instructors, or corporate executives, this book will show you how to take small actions each day to inspire passion and performance in every employee.